The Name
Maatraa means “unit” or “measurement” in Hindi. In addition to this, every Indian language makes use of a dependent vowel form called ‘maatraa’. A ‘maatraa’ is a vowel that has to be accompanied by a consonant, without which it has neither meaning nor purpose. It is different from an independent vowel, which can be written by itself.
A ‘maatraa’ changes the sound of a consonant. It can create a whole new meaning or a word and is the basis for the structure of words.
Maatraa is the foundation for building a lifelong competence in communication skills.
Our courses aim to be the maatraa of a student’s education.
The Story
We have been friends since we were 7 years old. In 2003, we made a plan to do something together in the year 2016, after our children finished school. And with Maatraa our dream became a reality. It is a culmination of two common passions (among a million others!) –parenting and a love for the English language. At home, we had delved deep into the intricacies of English while helping our children study it. At work, we had noticed the gap between the desire to speak English and the ability to do so. As hands-on parents, and as experienced professionals in HR and media, we realised our love could be communicated, taught and shared. How could we apply our insights and learnings to do something meaningful for the youth? Maatraa was the answer.
The Philosophy
We believe that while family comes first, work does not come second. One supports the other, enabling life to move forward. As women and as mothers, we know that to create anything truly long-lasting and meaningful, we need to create a community that will support, encourage and nurture.
We hope to provide opportunities to those who are limited by circumstances. In addition to reaching out to the youth, we are very excited about offering a second career to a huge talent-pool among women who have quit their careers and are keen to work from home with flexi-hours.
The Promise - Learn More. Be More.
Learning a language with a holistic focus is often expensive, inaccessible, or both! Maatraa gives you learning at your fingertips, at your convenience, at a price more affordable than you would imagine.
Our content has been created wholly and solely for Maatraa by experts with years of experience in teaching English.
The Founders
Lata Rao
"Lata is a Human Resource professional from TISS, Mumbai. She has worked full time, part time and freelanced with companies like Johnson & Johnson, Cybermotion Tech as well as consultancy firms like William Mercer and Right Management. While recruiting people, she observed how candidates with the right qualifications were often hampered by their lack of communication skills. This first-hand experience has proved to be invaluable for Maatraa. She tailored her career to suit the requirements of her 2 children, trying to balance the cadence of their lives with her need to stay relevant. The opportunity to work with the youth, enable other women and demonstrate the transformative power of language excites her endlessly." - Alakta
Alakta Kar
"Alakta worked with Clarion Advertising and JWT Mumbai before quitting her full-time career to become a full-time mother to two. Even during her two-decade labour of love in helping her (and other!) children master and enjoy the art of learning, she made sure to actively keep in touch with technology. Besides being a meticulous worker with a perfectionist streak, she has an avid creative side, and loves making photographic gifts and keepsakes. A self-professed Memory Designer, she conceptualises and designs professional digital photobooks under the name of Aze." - Lata
Friends of Maatraa
This is the tribe of well-wishers who have unstintingly given their time and energy to build Maatraa. We are fortunate to have so many smart, talented people rooting for us!
